The House on Friday easily passed legislation that authorizes national intelligence operations for fiscal year 2018 and makes several key changes aimed at addressing Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and leaks of U.S. intelligence.
On Russia, the bill would require the Director of National Intelligence to publish a report on foreign counterintelligence and cyber threats to election campaigns, and report to Congress on “Russian influence campaigns directed at foreign elections and threat finance activities.”
It would also require the intelligence community to report to Congress on investigations of leaks of classified information. President Trump has been vocal about the issue throughout his first six months after a non-stop stream of leaks from his administration.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., pointed to the Russia language as a reason why Democrats were happy with the final outcome.
“This bill features a number of provisions championed by my Democratic colleagues, some of which redouble the [Intelligence Committee’s] focus on the scope and nature of the threat, both overt and covert, that Russia poses to our interests and American political institutions,” Schiff said.
The Intelligence Authorization Act would authorize resources to “intelligence and intelligence-related activities,” including the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defense. The House Intelligence Committee said it “supports critical national security programs, particularly those focused on countering terrorism and cyberattacks.”
The bill failed to pass on Monday when put forth as a suspension bill, which requires a two-thirds majority vote for passage. Most Democrats voted against it after House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., urged her members to block it over the fast consideration on the House floor and the inability to offer amendments.
On Friday, however, it passed easily, 380-85.
